Around the Nation (June 28): Former coach Redskins Gibbs considers name 'prideful'

Associated PressPublished: June 29, 2014 4:00AM

FOOTBALL

Former coach Gibbs considers Redskins name 'prideful'

SPARTA, Ky. -- Count former Washington Redskins coach Joe Gibbs among those who has no problem with the team's name.

The NFL team that Gibbs led to three Super Bowl titles in the first of two stints as coach has been heavily criticized for its nickname that's viewed as derogatory toward Native Americans. A group of U.S. senators and President Barack Obama have suggested it should be changed, which team owner Daniel Snyder vehemently refuses.

Asked about the controversy before the NASCAR race Saturday at Kentucky Speedway, the Hall of Fame coach and racing team owner called the Redskins name "prideful" and said, "everything about that name has been positive for me." Gibbs said he heard nothing negative during his time there and cited its fight song, "Hail to the Redskins."

TENNIS

Federer reaches Wimbledon's fourth round with ease

LONDON -- Seven-time champion Roger Federer got back to the second week at Wimbledon after last year's early exit, beating 35th-ranked Santiago Giraldo of Colombia 6-3, 6-1, 6-3 Saturday.

Playing with the roof shut at Centre Court on a rainy day, the fourth-seeded Federer saved the only two break points he faced and was never really tested.

Federer, who owns 17 Grand Slam titles, lost in the second round at the All England Club in 2013, ending his streak of reaching the quarterfinals at 36 consecutive major tournaments.

Giraldo never has been past the third round at a major.

Maria Sharapova advances to fourth round at Wimbledon

LONDON -- Maria Sharapova won the last 11 games to reach the fourth round at Wimbledon with a 6-3, 6-0 victory over 44th-ranked Alison Riske of the United States.

Sharapova, the 2004 Wimbledon champion, got broken in the first game and fell behind 3-1 before overwhelming her opponent.

Saturday's match was played with the roof closed on Centre Court, while rain held up play on the outside courts.

Sharapova, who won the French Open earlier this month, lost in the second round at Wimbledon last year.

ICE HOCKEY

Blackhawks trade Bollig to Calgary

PHILADELPHIA -- The Chicago Blackhawks have traded forward Brandon Bollig to the Calgary Flames for a third-round selection in the NHL Draft.

Bollig agreed to a three-year contract extension in March. He had seven goals and seven assists while playing in 82 games this season, and then had an assist in 15 playoff games.

The Blackhawks used the draft pick, No. 83 overall, to take forward Matheson Iacopelli. The right wing had 41 goals and 23 assists last season for Muskegon of the USHL.

The 27-year-old Bollig has 201 penalty minutes in 125 career games with Chicago over three seasons.

BASKETBALL

Wizards will keep PG Andre Miller for 2014-15 season

WASHINGTON -- The Washington Wizards will keep Andre Miller for another season.

Miller's agent, Andy Miller, said Saturday that he's been officially notified by the Wizards that the team will guarantee the veteran guard's contract for $4.6 million in 2014-15.

The 38-year-old Miller was acquired from the Denver Nuggets in a trade-deadline deal in February. He immediately filled a longstanding need for a reliable point guard behind John Wall, averaging 3.8 points and 3.5 assists in 28 games as the Wizards made the playoffs for the first time since 2008.

The Wizards had to decide this weekend whether to guarantee the deal or allow Miller to become a free agent.

The discount store chain will sponsor the car for 30 races in 2015 including the season-opening Daytona 500. That's up from 27 events this year and 17 in 2013.

Dollar General's increased involvement comes at a time when sponsors are cutting down and doing more 12-16-race deals. Company chairman Rick Dreiling said Saturday that Kenseth's success with JGR and his appeal made it easy to expand the company's involvement.

"Bottom line, expanding this partnership with Joe Gibbs Racing and Matt Kenseth is great for our business," Dreiling said, "and more importantly, it's great for our brand."

JGR president J.D. Gibbs didn't specify the length of Kenseth's extension, only that it was for a "number of years."

Both announcements pleased the 2003 champion, who said his relationships with the team and sponsor "has been a great fit for me."

Kenseth will start 14th in Saturday night's 400-mile race at Kentucky Speedway, where he earned one his career-high seven wins last season en route to a runner-up points finish to Jimmie Johnson. He's winless this season but fourth in points.

SOCCER

American forward Jozy Altidore trains on own again

SAO PAULO -- Jozy Altidore has trained on his own again, an indication the injured forward isn't likely to start in the United States' second-round World Cup game against Belgium on Tuesday.

Altidore hasn't played since straining his left hamstring in the opener against Ghana on June 16. He joined teammates Saturday to applaud equipment manager Jesse Bignami for his birthday, then broke off to jog around the fields at the Sao Paulo Futebol Clube training complex with fitness coach Masa Sakihana as the rest of the Americans warmed up.

In the knockout stage of consecutive World Cups for the first time, the U.S. plays Belgium on Tuesday night in the northeastern city of Salvador.